Press



July 28, 1925.

s. T. SMITH PRESS.

'Filed on. 10; 1923 Patented July 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,547,970 PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL 'r. SMITH, or PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

'ranss.

Application filed'October 10, 1923. Serial No. 667,703.

spring 14' tends to hold the latch 13 in the 1 fruits and other materials through colanders. I

In the attached drawings: Figure 1, is a vertical section through a device made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2, is a detachedperspective of plunger, and

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary section showing a modified form of the plunger. .lVith reference tothe drawings, my device comprises an open-bottomed'cylindrical or Joell-shaped body 1 comprising in the present instance a conical top 2, from the top of which extends a hollow cylindrical stem 3. Fitting neatly within the cylindrical portion 1 and adapted to reciprocate therein is a plunger 4 which in the present instance is shown as comprising a fiat disk flanged inwardly at the edges, the flange 5 lying close against the inner surface of the cylindrical body 1. The plunger 4 has extending upwardly from the center and through the hollow stem 3 of the body a shaft 6 which is sufliciently long to project beyond the upper edge of the stem 3 when the plunger is in the position shown in Fig. 1.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 6, which in the present instance is hollow, is provided in the upper end with an aperture 7, while a second aperture 8 is provided in the side of the top projecting end of the shaft. A handle 9, clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, embraces the stem 3 and is adapted to slide thereon, the handle comprislng an upwardly extending arm 11 whose offset upper end 12 projects through the aperture 8 into the interior of the shaft 6. A latch element 13 is also provided which in the present instance is secured to the handle 9 by means of a spring 14 supported on the arm 11, the latch 13 having a portion 15 adapted to proj ect downwardly through the aperture 7 and into a loop 16 at the extremity of the offset portion 12 of the arm 11, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the arm from the aperture 8 and locking the handle to the shaft. The

locking'position and prevents-accidental dislodgment thereof from the aperture 7.

It Wlll be apparent from the foregoing description that reciprocation of the handle 9 longitudinally of the stem 3 will result in a corresponding reciprocation of the plunger 4." 1

=In the operation of'the device, the fruit 'or other material to be pressed through the colander is placed in I the latter, and with the plunger 5 in the upper end of the head 3, a portion-of the fruit is gathered underneath the head, after which the handle 9 is moved downwardly over the stem 3, while at the same time the lower edges of the body 1 are held firmly against the bottom of the colander. The resulting downwardmove- -ment of the plunger 4 presses the material through the colander. During this downward movement of the handle 9, it is preferable thatthe body 1 be-passed over the bottom ,of the colander, this giving the material under 'thebody a lateral movement over the bottom of the colander, which greatly facilitates the pressing operation.

It will be noticed that in the present instance the body is provided near the top of the cylindrical portion 1 with a series of apertures 17 provided on the outside with shields 18. It has been found that under some circumstances material accumulating in back of the plunger 4 prevents the proper movement of the plunger in the body, and the apertures 17 provide for the escape of the material so accumulating, the shields 18 preventing the splashing of the material outwardly onto the clothes of the operator.

In manipulating the device, I have found it possible to operate with one hand, the handle 9 being held between the fingers which pass around the stem 3. The hand may then be slid downward over the stem exerting any desired pressure upon the handle 9.

It will be noted that the device comprises but three separable parts,the body portion 1 including the hollow stem 3, the plunger 4 with its shaft 6, and the handle 9 which comprises the arm 11 and the latch 13 with its spring 14.

In disassembling the device for cleaning, it is merely necessary to draw the latch 13 upwardly and clear of the aperture 7 whereupon the arm' 11 may be withdrawn from the aperture 8 and the handle slipped off the stem 3. This also releases the shaft 6 which with the plunger may be withdrawn from the body.

In some instances, I have obtained satis factory results by using the plunger alone in the pressing operation, the shaft 6 being grasped in the hand and the plunger 4 being forced against the material in the colander. In this instance, it may be desirable to have the bottom or working face of the plunger slightly concaved, as shown in Fig. 3.

I claim:

1. The combination with an open-bottomed body portion having a hollow stem extending upwardly from the top, of a plunger adapted to reciprocate in the body and having a shaft extending upwardly through the said stem, and a handle connected with the shaft and slidable on said stem.

2. The combination with an open-bottomed body portion having a hollow stem extending upwardly from the top, of a plunger adapted to reciprocate. in the body and having a shaft extending into the said stem, and a handle connected with the shaft and movable along the said stem for reciprocating the plunger.

3. In a press, the combination with a substantially bell-shaped body portion having a central outwardly extending hollow stem, of a plunger adapted to reciprocate in the body and comprising a shaft adapted to project through the. stem, and an operating handle slidable on the stem and operatively connected with the shaft.

4. In a press, the combination with a substantially bell-shaped body portion having a central outwardly extending hollow stem, of a plunger adapted to reciprocate in the body and having a shaft projecting through the hollow stem, and a handle slidable on the stem and having detachable connection with the shaft.

5. In a press, the combination with a substantially bell-shaped body having at the top a central outwardly extending hollow stem, of a'plunger adapted to reciprocate in the body and comprising a shaft extending upwardly through the stem, said shaft having in the outwardly projecting end a plurality of apertures, a handle slidable on the stem and comprising an arm adapted to project through one of said shaft apertures, an a latch adapted to project through another of said apertures and to engage the arm to prevent withdrawal of the latter.

6. In a press, the combination with a substantially bell-shaped body having side apertures, of shields for said apertures, a plunger adapted to reciprocate in said body, and means for efifecting reciprocation of the plunger from the exterior of the body.

SAMUEL T. SMITH. 

